International students who apply for doctoral programmes must have a Master’s degree. Students who have graduated from a foreign higher educational institution can apply for Doctoral programmes provided that their Diploma for completed higher education has been officially recognized and a certificate has been issued in accordance with the State Requirements for Recognition of Diplomas for Completed Higher Education.

1. Under intergovernmental agreements on educational, scientific and cultural exchange - the approved candidates are presented by the Ministry of Education and Science.

2. Under the terms of Decrees of the Council of Ministers - the approved candidates are presented by the Ministry of Education and Science.

3. EU students: after a successfully won competition - the places, deadlines for application submission, fees and conditions for application are the same as these for Bulgarian citizens applying for state errand.

4. Provided that they pay the tuition fee - full-time and part-time. PhD students on self-study are admitted only from EU countries.

International students can apply to study at Bulgarian institutions of higher education under the terms and conditions regulating the admission of Bulgarian citizens to higher educational institutions in the Republic of Bulgaria if they:
1. Have permanent residence permit;
2. Have a status of refugees; 3. Are of Bulgarian nationality, testified in accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers No 103 of 1993 regulating the education of Bulgarian citizens abroad. The number of students admitted under this condition is updated annually by the Council of Ministers.